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Notes: Delay to Bynum's season

Notes: Delay to Bynum's season

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By Spencer Fordin
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MLB.com |

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Freddie Bynum's bid to make Baltimore's Opening Day roster ended on Saturday, when the utilityman announced that he'll undergo arthroscopic surgery next week to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Bynum thought he could play through the injury, but the pain never really subsided.

The Orioles expect Bynum to rehab for three weeks after the operation, and it could be mid-April before he's ready to play in a big league game again. Bynum factored that into his thought process, but he knew he had to get healthy.

"I wasn't thinking about the 25-man roster or anything," Bynum said. "I was just thinking about my career, trying to be healthy and get out there and do the things that I know that I can do -- which my knee won't let me do right now. Me being a speed guy, I want to get it taken care of so I can handle getting my rehab done and be back and I won't miss much time."

Bynum, who played four positions for Baltimore last season, was expected to challenge Luis Hernandez and Brandon Fahey for playing time at shortstop. The veteran said he's never had a knee injury bigger than "banging it on the corner of a table" before, and he also said that he had problems ascertaining just how serious the injury was at first.

"It just took me a couple of days before I went into the training room," he said. "I hadn't done it in a while, and I just thought I was sore so I gave it a couple of days. I thought it would calm down, but it didn't."

Bynum is expected to do most of his rehabilitation at the team's Minor League complex in Sarasota, Fla., and Baltimore manager Dave Trembley knows how tough it will be for him to miss most of Spring Training and jump back to action.

"It's just an unfortunate thing for him," Trembley said, "because he wanted to come in here and get a shot to play shortstop, and this thing has probably set him back somewhat for that."

Less of Moore: Scott Moore was again held out of the lineup with a strained right groin, and Trembley acknowledged on Saturday that it may take a little longer than expected to get him back on the field. Moore, who shot out of the gates with a .571 average in his first five exhibition games, will still remain a favorite to earn a bench job.

"He made a very good impression in the opportunity that he had," said Trembley. "I'd like to see him get back in there. I'm kind of hoping by the middle of next week he'll be ready to play again -- maybe by Wednesday -- but that depends what [head athletic trainer] Richie Bancells tells me. I know Moore is disappointed.

"If you talk to him, you can see kind of the look, his facial expression. ... I know he's disappointed that he's not playing."

Moore, who's worked out at second base in addition to both infield and outfield corners, said the injury bothers him most when he's running. The former first-round Draft pick said that he's not exactly sure how the injury happened.

Still smoking: Oscar Salazar earned praise earlier in the week for his hot hitting, and he drilled a double in his only at-bat on Saturday. Salazar may have a chance to play more now that Moore and Bynum are unavailable, but he'll likely wind up as insurance at Triple-A Norfolk -- in case the Orioles have another injury or two during the season.

For now, though, his .400 spring average is drawing notice from the team's decision-makers.

"I like Salazar's bat," Trembley said. "And Salazar is an interesting guy down the road for us, especially perhaps during the season when we're playing National League clubs and there's no [designated hitter] and you need a right-handed bat off the bench. And you need somebody that's versatile. ... Salazar, to me, looks like a professional hitter.

"I've seen him drive in runs, I've seen him move runners over [and] I've seen him bunt."

Quotable "I talked to my mother, my father, my agent, Dave [Trembley], the trainers. I got a lot of input on what I should do. It came down to that I should just get it done now." -- Bynum, on his thought process

Up next: The Orioles will play the Marlins in Jupiter, Fla., on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. ET, and Adam Loewen will be pitted against Florida's Ricky Nolasco.

Spencer Fordin is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.